Diego Quispe Tito | |
|---|---|
 Virgin of Carmel Saving Souls in Purgatory, Circle of Diego Quispe Tito, 17th century, collection of theBrooklyn Museum | |
| Born | 1611 (1611) |
| Died | 1681 (aged 69–70) |
| Known for | devotional painting,Mannerism |
| Notable work | Signs of the Zodiac |
| Movement | Cusco School |
Diego Quispe Tito (1611–1681) was aQuechuapainter fromPeru. He is considered the leader of theCuzco School of painting.[1] Despite the prevalence of European artistic influences, some painters in Cuzco were of Inca descent, infusing their art with indigenous elements. Diego Quispe Tito, adopted a distinctive style blending Italian Mannerism and Flemish painting techniques with depictions of local landscapes adorned with decorative birds. Working in a village near Cuzco, Quispe Tito developed his unique approach, exemplified in his series of paintings portraying the life of St. John the Baptist for the Church of San Sebastian in 1663.[2]
The son of a nobleInca family, Quispe Tito was born inCuzco, and worked throughout his life in the district ofSan Sebastián; his house remains, and shows hiscoat of arms on its door.
Quispe Tito's earliest signed painting is anImmaculate Conception from 1627,gilded in a fashion typical of the Cuzco school. His work is in the style of SpanishMannerism andFlemish painting.[2] Quispe Tito is believed to have learned these styles fromItalianJesuitBernardo Bitti, who was active at the time in Cuzco. In addition, he is believed to have knownLuis de Riaño in his youth, and may have derived some elements of his style from the older artist; de Riaño, a painter fromLima, had trained in the workshop ofAngelino Medoro, and so would have provided another source of Italian influence.
Quispe Tito also was influenced in his work byengravings fromFlanders; indeed, his best-known work, the 1681Signs of theZodiac inCuzco Cathedral, is a series of copies of Flemish engravings in which each zodiac sign is tied to aparable from the life ofChrist. These engravings were designed for distribution in Peru, where worship of thesun,moon, andstars was still practiced in some quarters; they were designed to encourage worship of Christ and His miracles in place of the zodiac. A further series, depicting scenes from the life ofJohn the Baptist and dating to 1663, was also produced on Flemish models.
Quispe Tito also incorporated several personal elements into his work; most notable was his use of gilding and his depiction of spaciouslandscapes filled withbirds andangels. In 1667 he painted several scenes from the life of Christ, which were sent toPotosí.
Quispe Tito died inCuzco, Peru in 1681.
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